Sampling and Generalization
In this chapter, we will describe the concept of populations and sampling from populations, including some common strategies for sampling. The discussion of sampling will lead to a section that will describe generalization. Generalization will be discussed as it relates to using samples to make conclusions about their respective populations. When modeling for statistical inference, it is necessary to ensure that samples can be generalized to populations. We will provide an in-depth overview of this bridge through the subjects in this chapter.
We will cover the following main topics:
- Software and environment setup
- Population versus sample
- Population inference from samples
- Sampling strategies – random, systematic, and stratified
